Across the last three decades, few programs have established a level of consistency quite like the John F. Kennedy football team. The Bronx powerhouse has won five PSAL city titles and two state crowns while also reaching the playoffs 24 of the last 27 years.

Their inexperience showed Friday night, when they were routed by Canarsie, 22-0, at home to kick off the PSAL football season.

“I’ve been here three years and we never lose like this in a Friday night game,” said senior running back Bryan Calcano, who injured his right ankle in the first quarter and didn’t return.

Without Calcano, they managed to drive inside the red zone once, turned the ball over twice, failed to recover three Canarsie (1-0) fumbles and dropped would-be interceptions and receptions. The one time Kennedy appeared to recover a fumble early in the fourth quarter, officials ruled a Chiefs player had fallen on the ball first.

“Every program goes through this,” JFK coach Alex Vega said.

The Knights (0-1) faithful didn’t agree.

At halftime, one fan called out for Obeng. Another wanted Garcia. Others greeted the Kennedy players with catcalls.

Beforehand, Vega stressed the importance of playing clean football: keeping penalties at a minimum and not giving the ball away.

Instead, they were whistled for several infractions. Quarterback Percy Barber and running back Jamel Lane each lost a crucial first-half fumble, short-circuiting possible productive drives.

Last year, Vega said, the Knights could get away with those mistakes.

Not anymore.

“With a young team,” he said, “you can’t overcome those things. You don’t get those breaks.”

Vega, the fifth-year coach, took positives from the humbling setback. Kennedy was without Calcano, one of the few experienced players on the roster, much of the game.

The defense held strong, making a goal-line stand early in the fourth quarter by turning away Canarsie twice from within the 1-yard-line. Barber, the third-string quarterback a year ago, connected on a few nice passes, although he did miss open receivers and failed to take off when there was room to run.